


Never Ever After

by Amanuansis908



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: DING DONG THE WICKED WITCH IS DEAD, F/M, The Future
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-18 16:09:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5934592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amanuansis908/pseuds/Amanuansis908
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(OUAT FANFIC)<br/>Post season four finale<br/>AU (if the darkness was still 'out there')<br/>When two mysterious teens arrive in Storybrooke determined to change their futures, they put everyone's happy endings in jeopardy.<br/>(I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT A FEW OCs)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Long Way From Home

"And you're sure you saw it here?" "Yup. Me and the guys were coming out of the mines when bam there's this flash of light at the town line. I gotta grab some grub at Granny's, hope you find something." Were Leroy's last words before he disappeared in his truck. Emma stared at the town line, leaning on her yellow bug. 

Night had just fallen in Storybrooke and Emma had been about to close the sheriff's station when she received a peculiar call from Leroy. A subtle, rustling noise sounded from the bushes lining the road. Emma drew her gun from its holster. 

"Who's there?" A figure stepped out from behind the foliage and Emma put away the weapon, trading it for a flashlight. "I'm not gonna hurt you." She said, turning it on. The light revealed a girl around Henry's age with dark, wavy hair and sapphire eyes squinting in the sudden illumination. A quiver of arrows was slung across her back and a bow rested on her shoulder. "Who are you?" The girl turned her head left and right in attempt to examine her surroundings. "Where am I?" Her voice was tinged with a slight fear. Emma cocked her head in disbelief. "Storybrooke, why?" "What year is it?" She was becoming persistent. "Two thousand fourteen, almost two thousand fifteen." The girl's lips slid into a smile. "Perfect," She spun around in glee, turning her face skyward. 

"Ross! WE DID IT!"

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"...Mother? Mother?" The girl shook the unresponsive woman sitting on her bed, staring bleakly through the window at the overcast skies outside the cottage they both were in.. "Mother, please get up. It's been two days, we miss you," The girl sniffled as a single tear rolled down her left cheek. 

"We love you." A soft knock sounded at the bedroom door. A boy opened the door. 

"No luck?" The girl wiped her eyes and exited the room. "None, but I will never stop trying." The boy embraced her in a reassuring hug. He kissed the top of her head. 

"Don't worry sister. She'll come back to us, someday. We just have to be patient." 

"STEW'S READY!" The boy called from the kitchen. The girl abandoned the book she'd been reading, about swashbuckling pirates, a land you could live forever in, and the characters who never left family behind, and could always find each other, no matter what. 

"I'm here, I'm here, keep your shirt on." She plopped down on a chair. The boy chuckled as he poured the warm liquid into three bowls, revealing his dimples. He placed them onto the table, one for him, one for his sister, the other when their mother returned and sat down. 

"I mourn him too, you know. But to truly honor his memory, shouldn't we move forward?'

The girl asked her brother. "She knew him even before we were born, it makes sense if she misses him a tad more." He replied, taking a sip. A thumping coming from their mother's room startled the duo, who both looked up to see her. She was mumbling, disheveled and in a haze. "Get out." She said the order softly, as if the words coming from her mouth weren't hers. "What?" Her daughter breathed in disbelief. "I said GET OUT! LEAVE THIS HOUSE AT ONCE, PACK IF YOU HAVE TO, BUT I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR FACES IN MY LIFE EVER AGAIN!" "Why?" It was her son to question her now. "BECAUSE ALL YOU'VE BEEN THIRTEEN YEARS IS TROUBLE, I SHOULD'VE LISTENED TO MY INSTINCT AND LEFT YOU WHERE YOU WERE, IN THE FOREST LEFT TO DIE!" Both boy and girl now stood face to face with their mother. "Mother, this isn't you, what happen-" The woman's eyes were wild with fury. "SHUT UP! YOU KILLED MY HUSBAND, YOU-YOU-WITCH!" The girl was struck with her words, clenching her hand into a fist, not knowing it was turning into a smoldering fireball. "I didn't do it!" "YOU'RE CURSED! NOW RID YOURSELF FROM MY HOME OR I'LL HAVE THE SHERIFF ARREST YOU FOR WITCHCRAFT!" The girl took a brave step forward. "Mother this isn't you. Listen to yourself!" The widow's lips curled back into a sneer. "DO NOT CALL ME THAT. NOW GO!" "No mother, I love you, and when you love someone, you never give up on them." "WE'LL SEE ABOUT THAT!" The crazy widow pushed the girl to the floor, who just rose to her feet again, and threw back her arm and opened her palm, as her brother looked on in horror, as the woman screeched in pain, the scorching flames licking at her dress and fainted. The girl left the scene and grabbed her backpack and stuffed some things into it and the boy did the same. "Let's go." 

                                                                                                            -

Neither sibling was near the house that evening, when a shadowy carriage arrived at the doorstep, and a single, pompously-dressed figure disembarked, and searched the house, and sighted the book, lovingly laying a gloved hand over the cover bearing the title, Once Upon A Time. But that was not the figure's object of interest, a murmur came from the kitchen, and it arrived there to see the woman, partially burned, rising to her feet. Seeing the figure, she screamed in fright and began to slowly back away. "I know who you are. Why are you here and where are my children?" Saying nothing, the figure untied a small pouch from its belt and produced the inside. The glowing red orb pulsed with life in the figure's hand.

"No, NO!" The figure lifted it to its mouth and spoke slowly, articulating every word. 

"Forget about our little encounter, you were always a widow without any children." With that, the woman examined the kitchen, sighting a broom, then began to sweep. Hearing the comforting swish swish of the broom brought a smile to its lips.


	2. The World Is A Dangerous Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Reina and Ross, in both the future and the past, stay with kind strangers.

 "Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, who's Ross?" Emma had followed the mysterious girl into the woods, where she had taken off at breakneck speed. "Why are you following me?" The girl asked without slowing down. "No kid just poofs into this town without a reason or parents." She shouted. The girl laughed, jumping over an almost invisible log in the dark forest. 

"I have both, thank you very much." Emma hadn't seen the log, and tripped. 

"And where do you think you're going?" The girl's voice was now a faraway echo. 

"To find something stolen from me!" Emma pushed herself back up again and closed her eyes and concentrated on what she was about to do. She was rewarded only when the girl ran into her, falling backwards to the ground. "What is this, some kind of trick?" Emma shook her head slowly, while she bent down, offering her hand to pull the other girl up. "Nope, everything's real here. Or at least as real as it can get. I'm Emma. You have a name where you're from?" The girl hesitated, but accepted her kind gesture. "Yes, my name is Reina. How did you?" "Light magic. I've been practicing kinda often." "Cool." "Yeah, I guess it is. You got any strange talents?" Reina exhaled. "If you insist. Watch this." She opened her palm, releasing a blazing inferno, and grabbed an arrow with her free hand, lighting it. She attached it in her bow, drew back, released, hitting a tree a few yards away. Emma stared a the fiery arrow in disbelief, her mouth slightly open. "Dark magic and practice." 

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Stay low 

go fast 

kill first 

die last 

one shot 

one kill 

not luck 

all skill

Reina read over the lines of the tiny scroll she had picked up from the ground. A poem? Too gruesome for advice, but yet... . "ROSS!" She called into the forest. The crunch of footsteps on fallen leaves sounded behind her announced the arrival of her brother. "What's wrong?" "Nothing. Did you get the water like I told you to do?" 

"Yeah, I did." Ross' voice was laden with exhaustion. "Good. Let's eat." Reina said. The duo attempted to cook some eggs for lunch, downing it with (they hoped was uncontaminated) river water. "How long are we going to keep this up?" Ross asked as they put their meager remaining supplies away. "You mean live in the forest and be free to live with no rules?" His sister questioned him. "We can't do this forever! Yesterday we were nearly killed by that wolf! We're just kids!" "Yesterday you were almost killed for cracking that twig when I told you to be quiet. We're thirteen for God's sake. I can take care of us." Ross snorted. "You really think your ability to occasionally light a match or fire without striking it is going to keep us alive?" Reina exhaled haughtily, and disappeared into the tent they had set up the day before. 

"REINA!" Reina emerged to find her brother suspended high in the air, caught in a trap meant for something else, no doubt. "Ross!" She reassured her brother of her presence. "HA, HA, HA!" The laugh not made by either of the duo was accompanied by the heavy trudging of footsteps. "Look, men! It seems our trap has caught something other than dinner!" Then came a chorus of other men guffawing. Reina didn't need to move a single muscle to see any of them, as they stepped out of the bushes they had been hiding in, their leader stepping further into the center, encircling the clearing. "Robin Hood!" Reina gasped inaudibly. This man standing a few yards away couldn't be real; he had been in her fairytale book for heaven's sake! A thief with more honor than a common man, he made his living stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, one of her favorite characters. Robin ventured closer to almost underneath where Reina's brother hung. 

"And what bring two youths into a place such as Sherwood Forest?" "A quest. We happen to be looking for something." Robin smiled at her. "Then it must be important for you to be venturing all the way out here," He pulled a dagger out of his pocket and cut the rope holding the trap containing Ray, sending him-and the trap, crashing to the ground. "Ow..." "I apologize for the rough fall, really there was no other way." Ross stood up, smoothing his trousers. "No, I'm fine." "Perhaps you two would like to stay with me and my merry men for tonight, these areas in particular are kind of dangerous." Reina responded before her brother could even process the outlaw's offer. "Yes."

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"So, about your parents, they around town?" Emma had persuaded Reina to sit with her on a bench in the park overseeing the lake. "Yeah." The teen gazed blankly ahead, fingering her bow in her lap. "Who are they?" Reina looked Emma in the eye. "I don't know. That's why I'm here. I used to live in the Enchanted Forest, and who I thought was my mother kicked me out after my supposed 'father' died, saying it was my fault." Reina resumed her stare into oblivion. "It wasn't." Emma's eyes widened. "That must've been intense, having to leave the only home you've ever known." "At least I didn't have to do it alone, I mean, I have my brother Ross." She sighed. "I'm guessing he's not here either?" Reina smirked. "I wish." 

A faint noise coming from one of the surrounding trees caused Emma to inhale sharply and grab her hand. "We need to go. It's not safe here anymore." Reina arched her eyebrow. "What do you mean?" Emma glanced around worriedly until spotting a black, fluid-like mass-heading straight towards them. "RUN!" She shrieked. The duo tore away from the thing for the yellow bug. "WHAT WAS THAT?" Reina screeched once Emma took the wheel and strapped herself in. "I'll explain when we're safe." She started the car and stepped on the gas. 

"Where are you taking me?" Reina asked as the bug sped down Main Street. "My apartment. We should be safer there." "We? I'm going to spend the night with you?" Emma smiled. "That's right, kid. Wouldn't want that thing coming after anyone else." "I guess not."

It was Henry who opened the door to his mom and the strange girl standing beside her. "Hey, mom. Who's that?" "I'm Reina." He smiled. "Henry. Where you from?" Reina set her quiver down at the entrance. "The Enchanted Forest. Is it that obvious?" "Your clothes kind of give it away." "I see." Emma turned to Henry. "You should go and get some sleep." Henry looked at Reina who was examining the kitchen faucet. "What about Reina? Where's she gonna sleep?" "The upstairs bedroom, I'll take the couch tonight." Henry glanced back at the guest worriedly. "How do you know we can trust her?" Emma put a hand on her son's shoulder. "She's never lied to me so far." "Well, if you trust her, I do too." 

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The snaps, crackles and pops of the bonfire before Reina were reminiscent of the long winter nights in front of her fireplace with her family at...home. No longer tethered to a place she could call her own, to rely on and to provide comfort, she felt her heart beginning to harden, withholding her pent up emotions. 

"You're still awake? I could've sworn you'd gone to sleep." Robin came out from behind two fire-illuminated trees. Reina locked her gaze on him. "I haven't been able to since I left home. I miss it." He sat down on a log next to her. "I know how you feel, having to leave the life you've always known." Reina exhaled. "Honestly, my brother and I aren't fugitives who ran away from home, after our father's death, mother threw us out. She told us she and father found us in these woods, but never had a chance to meet our real parents. Or even see them, for that matter." Robin put his chin in his hands. "You told no lies, then, when you explained you were searching for someone. You're looking for them." Reina smirked. "Yeah." "Unfortunately, I can do nothing more than offer you a temporary shelter. But I know someone who can." Reina's eyes widened. "And who's that?" "Her name is Mama Silky, and as far as I know, she can do anything."


	3. Where There's A Will, There's A Wat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The siblings find a rather strange way to be a family.

Reina awoke with a jolt, it felt as though her head was going to burst. Thoughts, emotions and memories flooded her brain. If she had looked down, her balled fists would've been in flames. She was re-living every instant of her life, watching as her father convulsed in his bed before breathing out his final breath, playing tag with Ray, sitting by the fireplace, learning about her ability to light a candle without a match. The memories she had treasured. Something ravaged through her head, and Reina could all of a sudden see one of her first memories, sharper from the rest, as if she was really there once more. 

The rhythmic pounding of horses' hooves matched the swaying bumpiness of the carriage. Above that was a crashing noise, amplified booms that rose above everything else. Then came a fearful cry that wasn't hers. "Shh..." A female voice tried in vain to hush it. Reina was forced to experience the memory in everything but sight, left only but to wonder why her eyes were closed, perhaps a feeble attempt to shut out the world. The carriage creaked, banking slightly to the left, as if someone leaned that way. "We won't make it, it's too close." Another voice, male this time announced grimly. Arms grabbed her out of wherever she had been lying before, close to the warmth of somebody else's body. Reina breathed in the familiar, reassuring scent, oblivious to the noises outside and the cries in. "HERE IT COMES!" Her eyes finally fluttered open long enough to see a frightened face, parted red lips and widened brown eyes. Then, nothing. 

Reina screamed, the vision fresh in her mind. Her physical pain had dulled to the point of being almost nonexistent. She needed to leave this place. This was all his fault. He should've given her more time than just one night to work things out. Hurried footsteps were now climbing the ladder to the bedroom. This was all a trick, Reina should've known he wasn't to be trusted in the slightest. She heard the door handle turn. "It's too late." She muttered bitterly. 

The door swung open, Emma, Henry and two others stood in the doorway. "Who's that?" A woman with short, raven-colored hair asked suspiciously. "Name's Reina. Emma most graciously invited me to stay the night, I had nowhere else to stay." A man with blonde hair and blue eyes was beside her. "Snow, she's a guest, Emma talked to me last night." While they chatted, Emma stared at her, a puzzled expression on her face. "Why'd you scream like that?" Reina shook her head dismissively. "I thought I saw a spider and I guess I overreacted." Everyone just glanced at each other, buying her desperate excuse. About ten minutes later, Reina came down the ladder, the family was in the middle of breakfast, pulled a chair and joined in. After everyone finished, Henry disappearing to the sitting room, as it was Saturday according to a calendar hanging near the door, Emma approached Reina, who was slinging her bow back over her shoulder. "There's a diner near Main Street where a ton of people come and go. Maybe your parents'll walk in and recognize you." She twirled an arrow from her quiver between her fingers. "A fine idea."

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"I can't thank you enough for what you did for my sister and I, how can we repay you?" The night had given rise to another beautiful day, a day in which the ragtag tribe of bandits had to bid their flighty, young guests farewell. Robin smiled at the siblings, as did the other men who surrounded them. "You needn't do anything at all, the joy of helping others will do for us." Ross stepped up to him. "You deserve more than that and you know it." Robin leaned towards the boy. "Where I come from, a simple 'thank you' will suffice." A series of cracked twigs announced Reina's arrival. She was accompanied by a boy half her size. "Do you really have to leave? I like you, Reina." She stopped walking and crouched down so he was at her eye level. "I like you too, Roland. And I'll miss you, but we'll meet again." He looked her straight in the eye. "Promise?" "Promise." She stood back up. "Ready?" She inquired Ross. "Ready." As they began the trudge back out into the world, Reina couldn't help but look back at the group of renegades, wondering what her life would be like if there was no possibility that she may be reunited with her true family. "Reina, why are we leaving?" Ross pondered to his sister. "Because Robin told me of a sorceress called Mama Silky who has the power to find our parents. And where she lives." "You're not serious, are you? The man's a thief. For all we know, it's a legend." Reina continued to trek forward. "Well, then I have something you don't." "And what's that?' "Hope."

It was a grueling, two-day journey to where Robin had said was the woman's dwelling, in the middle of some rarely visited woods. Well, dwelling may not be the proper word. What met the eyes of the backpackers was a mansion even King Midas' castle could worship. Even though it was just two stories, it was large enough to house one hundred, comfortably. The extravagant edifice, with its ornate, carved wooden door and adorned windows, would suffice to produce tears from any architect. Reina halted her gaze on the building to bring her brother down from whatever cloud he was on. Ross' mouth was agape in sincere awe. 

"Ross! Snap out of it! We've got things to do!" She whisper-shouted. "Sorry, sis." Reina rolled her eyes and rang the doorbell, the celestial chime echoing throughout the house. A miniscule peephole door creaked open in the top half of the entrance, startling the duo. "What do you want?" Only one blue eye was visible. "To find our parents. Thirteen years ago, they left us in the woods, and we intend to reunite with them." Reina explained clearly, a hint of snarkiness in her words. "And what makes you think that I would do that for you?" The owner of the eye snapped back. "Look, I'm wasting my time on you two. Now if you'll excuse me, I have more important matters to attend to. Au revoir, good day and farewell, I hope we never meet again." The tiny door was caught before shutting. "Wait. If there's some sort of price we need to pay, we're ready." Ross' eyes widened at his sister's words. "Think about this, it could be all a trick." "Your wish is our command." The person on the other side of the door tittered with delight. "Now that's more like it. Come in."

As beautiful as the mansion was on the outside, the inside won the beauty pageant. There were so many statues, velvet covered lounges and valuable drapes, it would be incredibly difficult to convince one that this establishment wasn't a castle owned by a plethora of royals. "This way. Sit down, you must be exhausted." The woman who had answered the door couldn't be more than twenty-five, with glossy, raven hair, baby blue eyes and pink lips. The siblings obeyed her. "So, when do you whisk us away to the faraway land our parents are so you don't have to get to know us?" The woman grinned. "We haven't been properly introduced. My name is Estelle, but feel free to call me Mama Silky, as I am more popularly known. I take it someone told you about me?" Ross exhaled in annoyance. "It doesn't matter how we heard about you. Take us to our parents." Mama Silky rose from her soft throne to stare out one of the many windows. "How do you even know if they want to see you? If they abandoned you, maybe it was to give you your best chance." Ross was on his feet in an instant. "You don't know if that's the truth and neither do we, this could be some messed up mix-up." Mama Silky returned her gaze to her guests. "Since you're so certain that seems to be the case, do you happen to have anything of theirs? A simple locater spell could work." Reina brightened. "I do." Ross raised an eyebrow. "You do?" His sister continued to pat everyone of her pockets. "Yes, I've always had a bracelet that I believe was found on me. It said: Reina H.-M.." Her face fell. "I can't find it, I must've left it back...somewhere else." She didn't want to say the four letter word describing the place they had been raised in. Ross rubbed his forehead "Now how are we going to find them?" Both approached the sorceress. "There's no hope of you being with them now, but, you can in a different time." She admitted. Reina looked at her in disbelief. "You don't mean?" Mama Silky flashed a self-satisfying smile. "Time travel."


	4. Goin' Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reina and her brother begin the quest to find the ingredients for the time spell, meanwhile in Storybrooke, Reina is questioned.

"Look, kid, this might sound strange, but I have some sort of ability that lets me know when people are lying. You told me the truth yesterday, so why'd you lie about the spider?" The duet were off to Granny's in the Bug. Emma glanced briefly at Reina, who was smoothing her bow with her fingers, gaze cast down in the passenger seat. "How do I know I can trust you?" "Because whatever you say, I'll understand." Reina examined the area they were driving through. "Pull over." "What?" "This'll be a lot to take in, so I suggest you pull over." "O...kay?" Emma swerved to park in between two other cars in front of Mr. Clark's, (Sneezy's), pharmacy. "He, he said I was running out of time," She said, then spoke quickly. "Emma, I'm not from here." Reina explained. "Doesn't take an expert to figure that out." "Not the way you're thinking. I assume you're familiar with time travel, Miss Swan, and its effects?" Emma furrowed her brow. "I guess." Reina stared at her. "I had a storybook back in the Enchanted Forest, the exact one your son has here. I read about your little skirmish in the time stream," Reina cast her gaze back down to her bow. "Or, maybe, just perhaps, will read? Hard to tell tense when you're in a time you don't exist in...yet." Emma's jaw dropped to the floor of the automobile. She ripped her phone out of her jeans pocket and hastily dialed a number. Reina narrowed her eyes as she examined Emma's distraught expression. "Who are you calling now?" Reina demanded, more than a little confused on the conversation's awkward turn. "Hi, Killian, meet me in the Sheriff's Office pronto, there's something I need to talk to you about..."

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"No, no, no, it doesn't work that way, you see, I just said the only way to see your parents and be with them would be if you went into the past, I never said I was going to do it." Mama Silky threw her hands up in innocence. "Why not, huh? We'll pay whatever you want." Ross glanced at his sister in uneasiness. "We will?" She glared at him. "We will." He repeated confidently. Mama Silky turned around, the swish of her dress on the hardwood floor the only sound in the house. "It doesn't matter if you offer me all of the world's riches, sending somebody back in time is a dangerous gamble, the slightest change could set off a deadly domino effect. Not to mention the power required to create such a portal requires magic from the caster and a time and place to go back to, and I do not intend to cast it." "If you could teach me, teach me magic, I could cast it." Reina spoke, voice laden with hope. Mama Silky sized up the siblings. "Magic is a gift, you can't just learn it. You have to be born with it. You two don't exactly fit the criteria." Ross snorted. "Who says? She has magic, I've seen her light candles without a match, and conjure up fireballs the size of a melon!" He gestured to Reina and grabbed a candle from a nearby candelabra. "Light it." Mama Silky raised an eyebrow. Reina took a deep breath, shut her eyes and clenched her jaw. The wick sparked weakly before producing a decent-sized flame. Mama Silky widened her eyes, the dancing flame's reflection in her eyes. "Well," She remarked, interested. "It seems you may yet be able to conjure the portal." Reina watched the fire, transfixed. Ross grinned in satisfaction at the lit candle he held. "I will assist you in conjuring the portal, but gathering the ingredients is your job. I'll give you until the end of the month, about four weeks to get everything ready. Shall you succeed, you will find your parents."

Mama Silky had let the duo stay the night in one of her mansion's extensive collection of rooms, after they had begged her and they had gone to the library to browse for a time travel spell. "Any luck?" Ross looked up at his sister, scouring the shelves on a movable ladder. "Not a trace of anything that could help us." She replied with an annoyed huff. He pulled a random book off the shelf, flipping through the pages. "This'll take us forever to find some book with the ingredients." 

Ross shrunk down to the dusty floor. Reina climbed down. "Unless..." She glanced at the extinguished candle she had lit the day previous, sitting back in its candelabra on an end table.. "Like I lit the fire, I can just poof the list and instructions." Ross looked wearily at her. "It's worth a try, we have nothing to lose." Reina opened her palm, and concentrated as hard as she could, channeling her thoughts, and in a tiny swirling cloud of purple smoke only Ross could see, a parchment appeared. She opened her eyes and breathed in disbelief. "It's all here!" Ross got up and rushed to see what was on the paper. Both were taken aback by the barrage of odd implements required. "A symbol of wisdom pointing north, a symbol of courage pointing east, a symbol of love pointing south and a symbol of innocence pointing west." They stated in unison before staring at each other in shock. "Where are we gonna find these things?" Ross asked. Reina went over the list over and over again. "Think of something that could be the easiest." "Love?" Ross suggested. "Courage? I don't know." "Perfect! Ross, you're a genius! The bracelet I left! For love!" Ross shook his head up and down. "Yeah! If we leave now, it's a three day journey by foot, I've been paying attention to the paths." Reina threw arms around her brother in joy. 

The first night on the road home was silent in the twins' tent. Save for the occasional cricket chirping and Ross tossing in his sleep, it was quite peaceful. Reina was just about to fall asleep when she heard a noise coming from outside. Curious, she crawled out, grabbing a lantern and lighting it. After standing up and looking around, satisfied nothing was out there, somebody called to her from behind. "Wait a moment, dearie," It implored. Reina dropped her lantern and whirled around. "Who are you?" The figure was a freaky-looking man who then bowed to her. "Rrrrumplestiltskin, at your service." Reina was speechless. "I-I've heard about you..." "In the book? Oh, I know about that. That and more, little match girl." "You know about my-" "Powers?" He cut her off. "Hard not to, your story is one particularly interesting one. I've come here to help you. I can teach you to do much more than summon a few sparks. You seem to be a promising student. I'll teach you everything I know." Reina was interested. "You will?" "I never break my promises, dearie. Meet me at the big oak tree, the one you used to play near as a child. Be prepared."

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"Well, the pirate got here quick, huh?" Reina acknowledged as Killian arrived, shifting in the chair she was sitting on, next to the cells. "That's captain to you, lass." He growled narrowing his eyeliner-accented blue eyes. Emma came out of her office, where she'd been organizing some portfolios. "You're here, awesome." She pulled him into the hallway and filled him in with the current issue at hand. Killian burst out before she had finished. "What sort of business does a girl like you have in using one of those unholy time travel spells? Do you know what sort of problems you could've caused!?" Reina opened a flaming palm to protect herself from the raging pirate waving his hook menacingly at her. "She has magic!? We're all doomed." Emma came between them. "Whoa, whoa, no need to go all physical, she's just a kid." Reina extinguished the inferno with a triumphant look at Hook. "Listen to your girlfriend, pirate." Killian stepped back, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Emma. 

"Start talking." The blonde ordered the teen. "What else is there to say? I've already told you my story, I'm here to find my parents." Emma crossed her arms. "Pretty sure there's more to the story than you're willing to tell me." Reina exhaled sharply. "Fine. I came across a sorceress by the name of 'Mama Silky' who told me the only way to ever see my parent would be to go back in time and figure out why I wasn't with them now. So I did. Here I am, voila." Killian still did not appear to be convinced. "And who would bother to teach you the dark arts?" "Some sorcerer called Rumpelstiltskin." Reina said matter-of-factly. "So you came here without your brother. Why?" Emma asked. "He was slowing us down." "Mother of pearl, there's two of you?" "You know what? I'm gonna help you find your parents." Reina leaped out of the chair. "Really?" Killian arched an eyebrow. "Really?" "Nobody's gonna recognize her, she doesn't exist. I'll just ask the hospital to do some blood test we'll get some names and then she'll leave." Emma spoke too soft for Reina to hear to Hook. "Besides, Gold's there, too. He should've seen this coming."


End file.
